Reyes family counting down the days to Sunday’s playoff match 

The Reyes family will be among the first to enter PNC Stadium on Sunday as the Houston Dash host the Kansas City Current in the quarterfinals of the NWSL Playoffs. The family will be joined by more than 18,000 of their fellow Dash fans as the team hosts their first postseason match in what will be the largest crowd to witness an NWSL match in Houston.

Eric Reyes, his wife and two daughters moved to Houston in the middle of 2020 from Oklahoma. The family followed the local USL Championship club in Oklahoma City and Reyes’ daughters grew up playing the sport for the Dynamo and Dash Youth affiliate in Louisiana.

The Reyes family faced a variety of challenges in their move to Houston due to the pandemic and ultimately bought their home over the phone without a single visit to the property. Once their home was secured the next call was much less stressful as they secured seats for their first Dash match in East Downtown.

“As soon as we moved to Houston, our first purchase was Dynamo and Dash tickets. We were out there with the mask on and all of that when that was required at PNC Stadium, but we were still out there,” Reyes said. “I remember our first Dash game, the interaction with the players really surprised us. At the end of the match, the players would come to the crowd right there along that walkway before they go into the locker room. They took their time signing autographs and talking with the crowd. You know, we were truly impressed with that.”

Since then, the family make it a point to arrive early at their seats in the Pitch Zone to cheer on their favorite players as they enter the field for warmups. Reyes and his daughter enjoy watching Lindsey Harris, Jane Campbell and the goalkeepers on the south end. One of Reyes’ daughters played in goal and found a new appreciation for the position.

That appreciation was expressed in person last Thursday as the family joined Harris for dinner as part of the first Boots & Suits celebration. The family was able to meet players from both teams and look forward to the second edition of the event in 2023.

Till then the family is counting down the days to Sunday’s game. The Reyes family followed the NWSL Challenge Cup in 2020 as they moved to Texas, but that doesn’t compare to joining the team at PNC Stadium on Sunday.

“To be here at home, in front of a home crowd. I'm excited for them, for the fans, for my family to get out there and be a part of this exciting event,” Reyes said. “If you've never watched soccer live, it's time. There is not going to be a better environment than a playoff game.”

Reyes will be honored as the Dash 365 Member of the Match on Sunday. For tickets to today's game, click here.